Ostheimer leaves it all on the track and then some

COLUMBUS — When you walk into the cafeteria at Edison High School, it is hard not to notice the hundreds of portrait photos hanging all over the walls.

There is everything from All-Ohioan football players, baseball players and track stars. But one thing that is not up there is a male hurdler. The Chargers are going to have to clear a spot because senior Bryce Ostheimer cemented his legacy at the state track and field championships on Saturday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus. Needing a Top 6 finish in an event to earn a spot on the walls of fame, Ostheimer did one better and finished second in the Division II 300-meter hurdles.

For good measure, he took fourth in the 110-meter hurdles as well.

“It feels very good to finally get that goal achieved,” Ostheimer said. “Last year, that left a very bad taste in my mouth. I may not have gotten first like I had wanted, but I did set a new PR in the 37’s, I will be on the cafeteria wall in both hurdles, first Edison guy to do that, I can’t complain too much.”

He ran his personal best 37.92 in the final race of his high school career and missed out on a state title by less than .2 seconds. Ostheimer made sure he left everything on the track even some skin from his elbow as he lunged toward the finish line and dove across leaving his elbow bloody.

“I tried diving at the end, but that was an ugly dive,” Ostheimer said. “I’ve never dove before on a track. My coaches always told me that this was my final race and I needed to leave it all on the track, I can say I left a little bit extra.”

Ostheimer came into the finals race with the best qualifying time but fell to Galion’s Colin McCullough who ran a 37.77. As Ostheimer made the turn, he kicked in an extra gear and pulled neck and neck to McCullough with three hurdles to go.

“Coming down the back-stretch, I was just pushing as hard as I possibly could,” Ostheimer said. “It is hard to believe, but the words “How bad do you want this championship” came into my head at that moment and I just gave all of my energy. I was tired. I try to start out fast and not save that extra burst on the home stretch, but I can’t help it. It is just part of me. That home-stretch is just my favorite part.”

He was still able to end his career as the Division II 300-meter hurdle state runner-up and earn All-Ohio honors. It is his third All-Ohio honor during his senior season as he was a selection in football and basketball and with his trip to the podium, he earned it in track to finish off his career the right way.

But there are two special people in his life he give all of the credit to — his parents, Elena and Kurt Ostheimer.

“I have been so blessed that my parents were both high school athletes,” Ostheimer said. “It took them seven years to have me so everything I do in life, I always try to give it everything I have for them. They sacrificed so much for me. In sports, I do everything I can to make them as proud as possible.

“I want to represent my name as well as Edison. I take a lot of pride in where I come from and we have had some great athletes come from our school. Not a lot of athletes were All-Ohio in three sports and I think it speaks highly of not only my family, but the type of coaching staff and school administrators we have at Edison.”

Ostheimer reminisced on his parents. Kurt was a 3-sport star as a football and basketball player and was a state qualifier in the discus his senior season. Elena was a volleyball, basketball and track star in her days. But it was an article of clothing that inspired Ostheimer to go out and do his best on Saturday.

“My dad was a state qualifier in the discus,” Ostheimer said. “He has his state sweat shirt so we came down and got a state sweat shirt for me so now my kid can one day have his dad’s and his grandpa’s state sweat shirt and hopefully he will come down and get his own.”

Ostheimer is a Walsh signee for track and will continue his athletic career at the next level. Again, he credited his parents.

“They had college offers, but with different situations, they didn’t pursue them,” Ostheimer said. “One thing they made sure to do is they have done a great job in making sure I am going to college and I cannot wait to run track at Walsh.”

Ostheimer finished the 110-meter hurdles in 14.74 for a fourth place finish and an All-Ohio selection in that event as well.

Keep an eye out for the only male hurdler to have his picture in the Edison cafeteria.